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Wednesday, 29 February 2012

I am full of lurgy so I'm actually pretty happy with what I've managed this week! I made this cute fabric matching game, super easy and they LOVE it :)

Yeah I thought I'd throw some vegetables in there ;)
I used the excellent tutorial from Lindsay at The Cottage Home - I have to say hers are so much cuter and she takes much better pictures than me so go look!

ongoing:

I have finally sewn the rows for my Pezzy quilt so I need to put them together and sew a border!

Another Rose Star complete (yes I cut into a bit of the DS my friend gave me):

and a new project! I started doing some embroidery last night - for the FIRST TIME! I've done the odd bit but always on stuff not where it's actually the point.

This is my practice, I didn't want it to be a waste so I'm doing a cute little pattern from Sublime Stitching that will hopefully look ok enough to put in my daughter's room - really she's already in love and would have it like it is!! My son has also already put in his request so this won't be the last.

I never knew the name of any stitches and just made it up whenever I had to sew a name on something or whatever, but now I'm ready to learn. I have some instructions that came with the pattern so I'm going to try all the different stitches and see how I get on!

Between this new found fun and the wonderful hand stitching rose star blocks, it's no wonder I'm hardly going near my machine! That hot water bottle has nothing to do with my lounging on the sofa, honest ;)

statscompleted: 1new projects: 1in progress: 4

In the post today I received my win from the Fat Quarter Shop. Yes they are that fast to the UK! Yes that's part of why I shop with them - plus the excellent choice, service and all round brilliantness!
I really want to find a special pattern to use with these 15 fat quarters :)

Speaking of fat quarters, click on the button to check out the swap I'm hosting:

I'm linking up to Lee's fantastic WIP Wednesdays at Freshly Pieced, which although I love always tends to make me get behind on my blog reading!! Hope to catch up very soon :)

Tuesday, 28 February 2012

Why am I sore? Partly because I'm full of yucky cold but also because I spent the evening cutting my Stained QAL blocks (the button for the QAL is on the right and all the details can be found by clicking it)!

Sarah kindly gave me some motivation last night (oh really, Hadley did it in one evening??). Well, that was the kick I needed! ;)

It really didn't take too long, Sarah has great instructions and I managed to do this watching America's Next Top Model and the Oscar highlights, so it was pretty entertaining! I have some good size scraps left too, which is always nice.

So just need to get the Pezzy Quilt done and I can get sewing - seriously though how long is that taking me, it's really simple and so far I've done one row??! Serious lack of motivation round these parts.

I did smile when this lovely parcel arrived though (the packaging reminds me of my Hacienda quilt!). I won these in a giveaway from the lovely Caroline of Obsessively Stitching - she has loads of cute tutorials on her blog, especially for kiddies (I must make those three little pig finger puppets!):

I chose the Eden I Spy pack from Crafterhours. There's lots of cute prints, here's some of my favourites from this set:

Oh and don't feel bad about my back, my completely amazing husband very thoughtfully brought me a hot water bottle home last night (he went to Asda especially and of his own accord)!! It is so comforting :) Have I mentioned how much I adore him??!

Monday, 27 February 2012

Spring will soon be upon us and it's a perfect time to think about sorting through your fabrics, organising and planning. Spring cleans always make me smile and with that in mind I'm excited to announce another linky fabric party. This one is different from the Fugly Fabric Party because this time we're officially swapping yummies!! And I'm joining in ;)

The awesome Krista at Krista Stitched emailed me with the idea and she came up with the fabulous name. The party will be hosted here but if you like the idea please pop over and thank her :)

The idea is to swap those fabrics that you've had lying around for a while, things you're tired of and those you're not sure you'll ever use. It's an opportunity for you to put out a call to swap for fabrics you've been hankering after or have a nosy at what people are offering up!

There are some rules this time and we want to keep things as fair as possible so that we can all have fun fabric swapping.

Here are the rules:

- Offer to swap a fat quarter (18" x 22") of good quality quilting cotton fabric.
- You can offer as many as you like but must be willing to swap each one individually (so no bundles please), although if someone wants to swap more than one with you obviously that's fine.
- You must be able to swap internationally, if you're swapping one fat quarter the costs shouldn't be too high. Of course you can chose to swap with someone in your own country, just please be open to international swaps. No posts should be limited to only participants of one nation swapping. **I know people are worried about postage costs so that's why I'm trying to limit the fabric amount, please also bear in mind there are slower postage methods you can use that you could arrange with the swaps!!**
- Write a post, add the button to your post and link up!!
- Once you've swapped please edit your post so it's clear your swap is closed.

You can either ask people in your post whether they have specific fabrics you want to swap for or leave it open. When you see some you like let people know what number link you are and see if they want to swap for some of yours.

You can still play if you don't have a blog but you'll have to be able to email pictures or link to a flickr picture of the fabric if people don't know the fabric line already!

The link will open on Tuesday 20th March (the Spring Equinox) and stay open for a week.

It's up to you whether you're quick off the mark to accept swaps or bide your time to see what's out there!

I hope you'll want to play along, please help spread the word by adding the button to your blog and letting people know you're going to play.

I have also had an amazing couple of days experiencing the kindness of blogging friends. I can't really say much because (if you don't know by now) I'm a total sap. I will cry and get way too mushy.

Firstly the talented and wonderful Nathalie at Noas' Libellule sent me this beautiful thank you for my guest post. I love the tape on the packaging and then I honestly sat stroking these for probably a bit too long!

My picture doesn't do justice to the colours, the green is deeper and so soft and yummy, I have to find a special place to put these mats but for now I've hung them up so I can admire them! I can't crochet so I'm in awe! She also makes divine shawls, scarves, blankets and has a great tutorial for a lace pouch - it's gorgeous! Thank you my creative friend! (just to point out I've not actually met her... yet! Trying to persuade her to get a ticket!!).

I also spent some time stroking the contents of another incredible package (I don't have a fetish or anything I just like texture ok?!!). This was from Deborah at Simply Miss Luella, her blog is so nicely designed and her projects are beautiful! I think we have very similar taste and all her makes are so bright and colourful. She sent this out of the kindness of her heart and well just look...

It's my own DS collection! I just love all her lines. After the gift from my friend the other day and this beautiful lot I'm entirely in fabric heaven. Deborah you are gracious and kind, thank you!

The next package was from a generous linker of the Fugly fabric party - Lisa at In The Boon Docks, she had a couple of sets of her fugly fabric left and sweetly offered to send them to me since I didn't actually participate! I have so many projects I want to make but I will be using these bundles to make another quilt to donate to our local children's centre. Thank you so much Lisa! I know the kids will love it and use it, the fabric is so soft!

And then as if those lovely gifts weren't enough I received such a wonderful email from another amazing blogger, the marvellous Jodi at Tickle and Hide, thanking me for the linky party. As a direct result of her giveaway she actually met up with another sewer in her area! It's an incredible story and I welled up reading her email. It was my intention for people to visit other blogs and hopefully make new blogging friends, to have had a hand in a 'real life' one too just blows my mind! When I think of how wonderful this community really is, you know what I do, *blubbing*!!

I have a little something to share with you all, not as exciting as actual fabric I know but it might prove helpful to somebody.
I got totally sick of the scrappy piece of paper stuck above my sewing machine with my list of projects on. It wasn't very inspiring and there was scribbles all over it. In the hopes of being a bit more organised I spent some time on picnik and created this:

It's a pretty 'To Sew List' so I can clearly see what I'm making, I can write the pattern or title. There's space to write what fabric I'm going to use and also a column titled 'for', which could either be who I'm making it for or a date if there's a deadline.
If you fancy one of your own you can easily download and print it out for yourself using the link below. I have seen some clever bloggers who put lists like this in frames so you can write on it with wipeable marker and don't need to print more copies! I'm just not that organised so bluetak and paper it is!

And if that doesn't really excite you (which is fine!) on Monday I'll be announcing plans for a new linky fabric swap so watch out :)

Oh and if your stuck with nothing to do this weekend and happen to live anywhere near Bletchley Park - unfortunately I don't :( - go and visit this exhibition. My Auntie has a wall hanging there!! I've not even seen it yet but I know I will when it's finished it's tour!

Wednesday, 22 February 2012

I'm trying to stay in a good mood after venting about my hatred of word verification, which you can go read about.

I'm sure the chocolate cake we'll eat later will help!

I'm linking up to Freshly Pieced:

I was mad busy finishing my anniversary quilt last week and didn't link up at all. My Weigh in Wednesday post is over at Missy Mac Creations this week (go check it out if you're the nosy type) so this one's mostly fabric and sewing.

This award is given to favorite blogs with under 200 followers. The Liebster Rules are:1. Post about your win on your blog.2. Link back to the blogger who presented you with the award.3. Copy and paste the award to your blog.4. Present the Liebster Award to 5 blogs that have less than 200 followers that you think deserve to be recognized.5. Let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.

I'm going to award this to blogs I love, it's not law that they need to participate in the award but you might want to go check them out because they're good!! I really admire and enjoy these blogs, they always give me inspiration and make me smile:

It was tough choosing, there's so many great blogs out there! Better get back to catching up on reading them!

Oh and I did think about including selfsewn in this award, since she has a new blog but it seemed like cheating since she had 400 odd before ;) You should check it out, she organised the Rose Star Block Party and the tutorial can be found there!

Friday, 17 February 2012

The secret is finally out... the quilt I've been working on was for my husband, a gift for our 5th wedding anniversary, the Johnny Cash quilt:

I had the idea for this last September after seeing Sarah's gorgeous quilt. I knew I'd write the words to 'If I were a Carpenter' because it is our song (and I know it should be 'baby' but we have two!!). Here's some night shots with the man himself holding it (that's my husband not Johnny Cash obviously!!), you can see the quilting a little better in these ones. I pretty much copied Sarah here too and just did some quick random lines to reflect our haphazard relationship!!:

I managed to do three blocks last October and then got distracted so it's been a scramble to get it finished in time. I changed up the fabric for the letters a few times, using up scraps and even used some that I was given by a friend last week! And yes I was sewing the binding on yesterday before he got home!! Last minute Lucy.

I was making it up but finding it really difficult I don't do maths or planning very well and I struggled a bit so I bought Tonya Ricucci's book:

This helped a lot!! I followed the tips and starting some unruly cutting :)

I used the DS fabric Kaelin sent me for the binding and I think it looks cute and helps lift the quilt.

One thing I especially love is because it's double sided it looks cool whichever way you fold it!

In other sewing news, I want to challenge myself and having seen so much cute embroidery out there I ordered myself this cute kit from Sublime Stitching and a couple of patterns. It came really quickly and I love it! It includes instructions thank goodness:

A wonderful friend and her lovely husband from London came to visit me yesterday. I don't get to see them as much as I'd like but we had a nice chat and the kids were loving them! They even brought gifts :) for my belated birthday.
She made me this cute dishcloth (not sure I will be able to bring myself to use it as that!!) and some delicious homemade Clementine marmalade, named 'Oh my darling!':

As if that wasn't enough, explaining they were having a bit of a clear out, she also gave me some fabric because she knew I'd make use of it:

Seriously??!!! I honestly nearly cried. I'm sure she saw me welling up. She didn't know it was one of my favourites or even that it was the glorious Hope Valley but the girl has seriously good taste!! I think she bought it in London but never used it for anything. I am so glad she thought of me!
If you are reading this thank you so much sweetie! I love the homemade gorgeousness :)

Oh and by funny chance I was doing a quick bit of blog reading yesterday, look what popped up: